Fast-food chains are offering low-cost deals for customers; here are five

Fast-food eaters have been hit hard by inflation and are looking more and more for ways to save money. 

As inflation and its weight on American wallets has continued, it has prompted some major fast-food chains to put more emphasis on deals, promotions and value to encourage people to keep spending money at their restaurants.  

For example, recent reports have indicated McDonald’s has a limited-time $5 meal combo consisting of four nuggets, fries, a drink and either a McDouble or a McChicken set to appear on restaurant menus in June.

Below are some deals and values at fast-food chains.

WENDY'S FOLLOWS MCDONALD'S WITH BUDGET-FRIENDLY COMBO

Wendy’s on Tuesday debuted a breakfast combo that participating locations will sell for $3 during breakfast hours. The combo comes with either a bacon, egg and cheese English muffin or a sausage, egg and cheese English muffin and a small side of seasoned potatoes.

In a statement to FOX Business, Wendy's said it "consistently serves up national deals in the Wendy’s app." 

One recent limited-time promotion it launched earlier in the month through its app allows Wendy’s customers to claim six free nuggets "with any mobile app purchase every single Wednesday" at participating stores. It also has a weekly Friday promotion running through the rest of the year that offers customers a free order of any size of french fries, provided they buy something else through the app.

It has also offered $5 Biggie Bag meal deals containing a sandwich, four chicken nuggets, a junior fry and a small soft drink since 2019. 

The typical chicken burrito sold by Chipotle costs less than $10, "offering a tremendous value proposition," the company told FOX Business. It also noted its meals are "completely customizable, so guests can vocalize or digitally select extra, light, normal or on the side when choosing from our list of real ingredients."

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Taco Bell expanded its "Cravings Value Menu" by six items in January, bringing the total number of items on it to 10. The price of each of the 10 options on the cost-friendly menu is $3 or less at participating restaurants, as FOX Business previously reported.

The brand said at the time the revamped "Cravings Value Menu" offered "an abundance of full-sized items that give fans the best bang for their buck whether they’re desiring something cheesy, crunchy or sauce."

Sonic has an "Under $4 Menu" available to customers "looking for a snack to go with [their] drink or sweet treat," according to its website. Examples of items featured on it include a corn dog, hot dog, a quarter-pound double cheeseburger and a hot fudge sundae. 

Customers can also get shakes from Sonic for half price at participating restaurants after 7 p.m. as part of a limited time "online & app exclusive" deal, its website says.

McDonald’s USA told FOX Business it plans to launch "many" deals during the summer months. 

The first of those will launch Wednesday, when the company will let customers who belong to its loyalty program order a package of six McNuggets to munch on for free via its mobile app. Customers don’t need to make a purchase to redeem the one-day-only deal, according to McDonald’s. It will run at participating American restaurants. 

Another promotion McDonald’s currently has at participating U.S. restaurants is "Free Fries Friday." With that Friday-only deal, the company will give customers who buy a menu item that costs at least $1 through the McDonald’s app a complimentary medium carton of french fries.

MCDONALD'S $5 MEAL DEAL COMING IN JUNE FOR A LIMITED TIME: REPORT

The company first started the "Free Fries Friday" promo in the fall of 2023 and will keep it available through the remainder of 2024, it said.

McDonald’s USA said customers can often find exclusive offers and deals specific to the area where they live through its app.

Breck Dumas and Andrea Vacchiano contributed to this report.